S. Mindanao cops nab 2 suspects for illegal guns
CONTINUING drive against illegal firearms by the Southern Mindanao police this week resulted in the arrest of two men, including a barangay captain in Davao del Sur, and the seizure of several unlicensed weapons and ammunition, Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 director, Brigadier General Benjamin H. Silo Jr. told the Journal Group on Saturday.
The official, in a report to Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., said that one of the suspects, a village chief in Kiblawan municipality, was arrested after officers recovered an unlicensed caliber 9mm semi-automatic pistol with three magazines containing 27 live ammunition inside his residence in Purok 3, Mansanitas in Bgy. Bonifacio early morning last Monday.
Silo said that members of the Kiblawan Municipal Police Station (MPS), the local Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the PNP Special Action Force (SAF) and the Regional Intelligence Unit 11 raided the barangay captain’s house on the strength of a search warrant for violation of Republic Act (RA) 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013 issued by Judge Carfelita Cadiente-Flores of the Digos City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 61.
The local official was placed under the custody of the Kiblawan Police following the raid, while the recovered gun was subjected to a ballistics test to determine if it could have been used in the commission of previous crimes in the area.
The 2nd suspect, a 67-year-old farmer, was arrested last Thursday after local policemen raided his house based on a search warrant for violation of RA 10591 issued by Judge Cadiente-Flores.
The search led to the confiscation of one M1 Garand rifle, one M1-6 automatic rifle with 11 magazines, 112 pieces of live cal. 5.56 ammunition, an M-16, and a Garand bandolier.
The suspects are now facing charges for violation of RA 10591, said Silo.
